(a) The Commissioner of Children and Families shall ensure that a child placed in the care and custody of the commissioner pursuant to an order of temporary custody or an order of commitment is provided visitation with such child's parents and siblings, unless otherwise ordered by the court.

(b) The commissioner shall ensure that such child's visits with his or her parents shall occur as frequently as reasonably possible, based upon consideration of the best interests of the child, including the age and developmental level of the child, and shall be sufficient in number and duration to ensure continuation of the relationship.

(c) If such child has an existing relationship with a sibling and is separated from such sibling as a result of intervention by the commissioner including, but not limited to, placement in a foster home or in the home of a relative, the commissioner shall, based upon consideration of the best interests of the child, ensure that such child has access to and visitation rights with such sibling throughout the duration of such placement. In determining the number, frequency and duration of sibling visits, the commissioner shall consider the best interests of each sibling, given each child's age and developmental level and the continuation of the sibling relationship. If the child and his or her sibling both reside within the state and within fifty miles of each other, the commissioner shall, within available appropriations, ensure that such child's visits with his or her sibling occur, on average, not less than once per week, unless the commissioner finds that the frequency of such visitation is not in the best interests of each sibling.

(d) The commissioner shall include in each child's case record information relating to the factors considered in making visitation determinations pursuant to this section. If the commissioner determines that such visits are not in the best interests of the child, that the occurrence of, on average, not less than one visit per week with his or her sibling is not in the best interests of each sibling, or that the number, frequency or duration of the visits requested by the child's attorney or guardian ad litem is not in the best interests of the child, the commissioner shall include the reasons for such determination in the child's case record.

(e) On or before October first of each year, the commissioner shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to children, data sufficient to demonstrate compliance with subsections (a), (c) and (d) of this section. Such data shall include the total annual number of children in out-of-home placements who have siblings, the total number of child cases with documented sibling visitation and the number of individual siblings involved in each case.

(P.A. 03-243, S. 5; P.A. 12-71, S. 1; P.A. 14-122, S. 24; P.A. 15-199, S. 17; P.A. 16-28, S. 14.)

History: P.A. 12-71 amended Subsec. (c) to require that commissioner ensure weekly visitation when siblings reside within the state and within 50 miles of each other, amended Subsec. (d) to require that when commissioner determines that weekly sibling visitation is not in the best interests of the child, the reasons for such determination are included in the child's treatment plan and added Subsec. (e) re reports to General Assembly, effective October 1, 2014; P.A. 14-122 made a technical change in Subsec. (e); P.A. 15-199 amended Subsec. (e) to require data to include number of children in out-of-home placements who have siblings, number of sibling visitations and number of siblings involved in each case; P.A. 16-28 amended Subsec. (d) by changing “plan of treatment” to “case record”, effective July 1, 2016.